The NSW Cup team will be Magpies branded - the club has already confirmed this.
Actually the article even says as much, but claims the Magpies are being 'killed off' in literally the same sentence. Good stuff Moley.

Well I'm an old magpie supporter and this would definitely not bother me.
The magpie is still represented on WT jersey and (as per +2018 plans) magpies will have a name in ISP comp.
So I cant see any drama.

Wests Ashfield has strongly denied any involvement in suggestions the Western Suburbs Magpies Rugby League Club is set to be blocked from returning to the Intrust Super Premiership in 2018.

A source has told The81stMinute that the Magpies had originally been given the green light by Wests Ashfield to start preparing for next season but that had reportedly changed after a very high ranking NSWRL official approached Wests Ashfield arguing that the Magpies playing in the NSW Cup would hurt future prospects from the Balmain junior league as it would not allow them a direct pathway to the National Rugby League.

This flies in the face of a number of partnerships between NRL clubs and their feeder teams including South Sydney and the North Sydney Bears.

The Bears will boast Intrust Super Premiership and Under 20’s in 2018.

There is also speculation that a sponsor was threatening to pull their funding of Wests Tigers who are owned by Wests Ashfield, if the Magpies name was used at NSW Cup level and that board members at the latest Wests Tigers meeting had been convinced to vote against allowing the Magpies return.

But Wests Ashfield Director Rick Wayde has told The81stMinute that any suggestion of the Magpies being blocked from the NSW Cup is “crap”.

Wayde said Wests Ashfield was totally committed to the Magpies and the future of the game in Sydney’s southwest.

A proposed state-of-the-art head office and training facility for the club in the Macarthur region would also be dead in the water if the Magpies’ comeback was kyboshed.

The NSWRL has also told The81stMinute that the Magpies had not been blocked from playing Intrust Super Premiership in 2018 as no submissions had yet been received.

The Magpies last night released a statement on Facebook following our story being published:

“Following speculation concerning the role of Wests Magpies in the ISP Cup for the 2018 season, the Club advises that no formal decision has been made on this aspect of our future.

“Wests Magpies will continue to investigate all aspects of what is required by the governing body of the NSWRL before making a final decision.

“All areas of the Wests organisation want to promote Wests Magpies ambitions and Rugby League in the southwest.

“Wests Magpies are proactive in promoting Rugby League and junior Rugby League in the southwest.”

I just think it's time to remind people that Balmain don't have any involvement in Senior football since the NSW Cup side was re-branded as Wests Tigers, I don't know what the re-structure for 2018 will be in the Intrust Cup but from what I'm reading here is that there will be both Wests Tigers & Magpies.
The Magpies already have sides in the Ron Massey Cup & the Sydney Shield and now want to make it three sides, as long as this provides depth for the Wests Tigers I'm all for it but so far it hasn't occurred.
Surely there's a grade where there could be a Senior Balmain side if only to provide more depth, I live in regional NSW so I'm not able to attend games easily and one thing I used to enjoy was live streaming the Radio call for the Balmain games, since Wests Tigers took over the brand I have little interest.

I just think it's time to remind people that Balmain don't have any involvement in Senior football since the NSW Cup side was re-branded as Wests Tigers, I don't know what the re-structure for 2018 will be in the Intrust Cup but from what I'm reading here is that there will be both Wests Tigers & Magpies.

The Q&A with Pascoe and Cleary indicated that there would be one NSW Cup team next year, and it'd be branded as Wests Magpies.